National Fire Protection Association weekly update: June 17-21, 2024

Two motions co-submitted by the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) and an individual proponent have successfully removed the requirement for visual fire/smoke damper inspections every 18 years in cases where remote monitoring technologies are used instead.  

The proposed 2025 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, would have required a physical inspection of fire/smoke dampers every 18 years if they were being remotely monitored. The change ASHE advocated to include will allow health care facilities to use remote monitoring methods in lieu of the physical inspection.  

Allowing remote monitoring technologies will help reduce the need for above-ceiling inspection, thereby limiting patients’ exposure to hazards like aspergillus, which can be released during routine visual damper inspections. The introduction of remote inspections in the 2019 edition of NFPA 80 was a positive step toward more efficient and safer practices. However, it’s essential to consider that some facilities may still need to comply with NFPA 101-2012, and the 2010 edition of NFPA 80. These editions of the two standards do not explicitly permit or exclude the use of remote inspections. 

The ASHE Regulatory Affairs Team will continue to advocate for progress on allowing remote monitoring technologies to be used for inspections in health care facilities. By embracing these advancements, health care facilities can enhance safety while minimizing disruptions caused by physical inspections.